Machine for surfacing hat bodies



saww June 9, 1931. F. E. KAUFFMANN MACHINE FOR SURFACING HAT BODIES Filed Sept. 11, 1926 2 Sheets-Shea l INVENTOR BY 7W3 June 9, 1931. F. E. KAUFFMANN MACHINE FOR SUREAGING HAT BODIES Filed Sept. 11, 1926 2 Sheets-Shae 2 iNVENTOR ATTOR" Y Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED.- STATES FERDINAND E. KAUFFMANN, or RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE non sURFAcINGHAr BODIES-V,

Applicati on filed September 11, 1926. Serial No. 134,784.

This invention relates to an improved machine for surfacing hat bodies to provide felt hats with what might be termed a suede finish, the surface when finished having a soft dull appearance and feel and being evenly finished all over its surface where it is exposed to View.

This machine is adapted for quick and eco-v nomical operation and takes up but little floor space in a factory. The machine comprises a holder for the hat and a series of associated parts to gently pass abrasive material over the crown and brim of the hat so that an even abrasion is applied to the hat surface. The machine is adapted to finish the hat all over before the hat is removed from the machine The invention is illustrated in the accom-.

operating on the side of the crown.

In the machine illustrated I show a stand or table 10 on which are mounted the vari ous mechanisms for holding andtreating the hat, Thehat support is usually a block on which the hat 11 is fitted and the block is rotatable as it is mounted "on the shaft 12 which in turn is slidably mountedoin' the bearing 13. The shaft-isdriven by a'fiexible shaft 14 and is slid by the lever 15, link 16, and foot lever 17. A spring 18 can be utilized for insuring the operative position of these parts.

In order to treat the surface of the hat I arrange parts so thatthey will exert a steady but gentle pressure on the outside surface of the hat and quickly give it an even close finish.

In themachine I have illustrated, the brim of the hat is engaged by discs 19 arranged on the top and bottom faces of the brim,;these being mounted in suitable holders20 and are driven by suitable means such asv the flexible shafts 21. The supporting members 20 are preferably hinged together as at 22 and can be operated by squeezing the holders 23 together. he pivot 22 is supported on an arm 24 and, in, turn, pivoted to the base 25, fastened to the table. part 26 of the standardlO. 4

It will thus be seen that in grasping the handles 23 when they are squeezed and then pulled away from the hat brim the hat brim is released and similarly by reversal of these motions the discs 19 can be placed in engage ment with the hat brim. The discs 19 are preferably covered with a fine abrasive such as sand paper or emery. An'even pressure on the discs 19 can be provided by such means as a spring 2'? arranged between the lower ends of-the hinge members 20.

In orderto treat the surface of the crown ed by a light spring 29 secured to one end of the base orsupport of the strip 28 and at its other end secured as at 28 to an arm 30. The

other end of the strip. 28 is secured at 28".

The strip is mounted on the end of arms 30 whlch can rec1procate,be1ng moved by a lever 31 pivoted at its centre as at 32to the bracket 33. It will thus be seen that as one of the arms advances the otherretreats and vice versa so that thestrip 28 is passed back and forth over the crown of the hat and after the hat is rotated the hat is soon treated or entirely surfaced atits top. In order to surface the sides, either the hat or the strip must,

be turned and in the drawing I show the strip as being turned since the bracket .33

and its bedplate 3 1 are pivo-tally mounted on the table 26 so as to oscillate, the bracket and its bed plate being still further guided, if necessary, by'thetrack 35. The bed plate is moved by suitablemeans such as the cam 36, the cam slot 37 of which engages a roller 38 and the end of the link 39 which is pivotally connected as at 40 to the bed'plate 34:.

A suitable pivoted bearing 41 is secured on the: table for holding the bar or lever 39. The cam 36 can be turned by the shaft 42 connected by gearing 4=3ewith the main shaft 44 of the machine. The shaft 44; is driven by a suitable pulley 45 driven from a belt l6. The

arms 30 are reciprocated by suitable means and I show in the drawing the lever 31 connected at its end by the link 17 with the eccentric 48 mounted on the shaft 49 which can be passed down through the bearing 50 which is supported in the table of the standard and also acts as an element around which the bed plate revolves. [he shaft 49 is driven by suitable means 51 from the shaft as.

In the operation of the machine a foot lever 17 is depressed and the shaft 12 retreated so that the hat may be placed over the block on the end of the shaft, then the hat is put into its place shown in Figure 1 by releasing 15 the foot lever 17 and then the discs 19 are placed against the brim and the machine is started. As the hat rotates the brim is finished by the discs 19 which are provided with suitable abrasive and the top of the crown is 30 surfaced by the strip 28 which has a suitable abrasive on its face. As the operation procoeds the cam 36 turns the bracket that holds the strip 88 so that it moves from the position shown in full lines in Figure 2 to the position shown in dotted outline in said figure. This latter position also shown in Figure 4, the strip 28 now engaging the side of the crown of the hat.

hen the hat has been entirely surfaced.

30 the foot lever is depressed after the discs 19 have been disengaged from the hat and the hat can be removed from the machine. In operating the machine I prefer to use as the pulley 45 one of the clutches now in common use of which, after a stated number of revolutions becomes disengaged so that the operation on the hat is carried to a completion and then the machine stops. Such clutch is not illustrated in detail as it is a common commercial article.

I claim 1. A machine for surfacing hat bodies comprising a rotatable hat support, a bracket arranged to oscillate adjacent the hat support, arms on the bracket, means for reciprocating the arms in opposite directions, a strip yieldingly supported by the arms, and means for rotating the hat support and reciprocating the arms.

In a machine for surfacing hat bodies,

an oscillating bracket, a pair of arms in the bracket, said arms being arranged to reciprocate in unison and in opposite directions,

a strip arranged on the arms and a tension means for holding the strip taut.

3. In a machine for surfacing hat bodies, a pair of oppositely reciprocating arms, a strip reciprocated by said arms and a tension means for the strip.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

F. E. KAUFFMANN. 

